A low-pressure system has settled over northern Minnesota near Hibbing this afternoon, with a pressure of about 998mb or 29.47 inches. It is expected to drift slightly north tonight before heading east-southeast, passing near or across Lake Superior on Tuesday.
Gusty winds and colder temperatures will move into the Northland as this low pulls away over the next few days, and some precipitation will continue as well.
Temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday will only reach the upper 30s and 40s in the Northland.
Note: Winds across parts of the Dakotas have been gusting between 50 and over 60 mph today in the aftermath of this system.
In Duluth, expect wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph tonight. Winds may ease slightly on Tuesday but are forecasted to pick up again in the afternoon and continue into Tuesday night, with gusts reaching 25 to 35 mph.
The system affecting the Northland today continues to take on a negative tilt with 12-hour 500mb height falls of -90 to -120 meters moving into the upper Midwest late this afternoon. Also, look at that system over the Northeast U.S. and Atlantic Ocean today, wow!
Goes-19 water vapor loop ending 5:10 PM CT Monday, October 20, 2025.
Rain will persist tonight in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, gradually tapering off from southwest to northeast overnight. However, light rain and drizzle are expected to continue across the Northland on Tuesday, with some lake-enhanced rain developing along the South Shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin by Tuesday night.
Note: As of 5:53 PM today, Duluth Airport and Superior Airport have each reported 0.02 inches of rain.
NAM 3km model simulated radar forecast through Midnight Wednesday.
Far northern Minnesota and the Arrowhead can expect additional rainfall of a quarter to half an inch or more through Wednesday. Similarly, areas in northwest Wisconsin along the South Shore of Lake Superior may also see a quarter to half an inch or more of rain.
The remainder of the Northland can anticipate anything from a light trace to roughly 0.10 inches of rainfall.
Wind advisories are in place for Tuesday across western, central, and southern Minnesota, with northwest winds gusting between 25 to 40 mph and occasionally reaching up to 50 mph.
A gale watch is in effect for the central and eastern parts of Lake Superior from Tuesday afternoon until late Tuesday night, with waves potentially reaching up to 10 feet.
Lots of eye candy for weather geeks to look at in the computer models for next week.
It seems likely that a strong trough and low-pressure system will form early next week over the Rockies or Plains. However, the track, timing, and intensity of this system are expected to shift in the models over the coming days.
If this system targets the Northland next week, we could experience rain and gusty winds. With the computer models showing a lack of cold air, it seems most of the precipitation will be rain, with little to no snow expected in our area at this time.
Stay tuned for updates.
